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Definition of house snake
house snake
Plural:house snakes
house snake Lexical Profile
CEFR
C1
Grade
9
Tier
3
Usage
Rare
• noun
1
Any of several non-venomous, nocturnal constricting snakes, primarily of the genus Boaedon, native to Africa and frequently found around human habitation where they feed on mice and other small rodents.
Example
"The brown house snake is often welcomed by farmers and homeowners across sub-Saharan Africa because it effectively controls local rodent populations."
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Derived from 'house' + 'snake', so named due to the species' habit of frequenting human dwellings and outbuildings in search of their primary prey, which consists of rodents.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of House snake. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 14, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/house snake